Hebrews 8

Hebrews 8New International Version (NIV)

The High Priest of a New Covenant

8 Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,2 and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being.

3 Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer.4 If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already priests who offer the gifts prescribed by the law.5 They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”[a]6 But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises.

7 For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another.8 But God found fault with the people and said[b]:

“The days are coming, declares the Lord,when I will make a new covenantwith the people of Israeland with the people of Judah.9 It will not be like the covenantI made with their ancestorswhen I took them by the handto lead them out of Egypt,because they did not remain faithful to my covenant,and I turned away from them,declares the Lord.10 This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israelafter that time, declares the Lord.I will put my laws in their mindsand write them on their hearts.I will be their God,and they will be my people.11 No longer will they teach their neighbor,or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’because they will all know me,from the least of them to the greatest.12 For I will forgive their wickednessand will remember their sins no more.”[c]

13 By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.

Exodus 25

Exodus 25New International Version (NIV)

Offerings for the Tabernacle

25 The Lord said to Moses,2 “Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from everyone whose heart prompts them to give.3 These are the offerings you are to receive from them: gold, silver and bronze;4 blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair;5 ram skins dyed red and another type of durable leather[a]; acacia wood;6 olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense;7 and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece.

8 “Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them.9 Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.

The Ark

10 “Have them make an ark[b] of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.[c]11 Overlay it with pure gold, both inside and out, and make a gold molding around it.12 Cast four gold rings for it and fasten them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other.13 Then make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.14 Insert the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry it.15 The poles are to remain in the rings of this ark; they are not to be removed.16 Then put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law, which I will give you.

17 “Make an atonement cover of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide.18 And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover.19 Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends.20 The cherubim are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover.21 Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law that I will give you.22 There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.

The Table

23 “Make a table of acacia wood—two cubits long, a cubit wide and a cubit and a half high.[d]24 Overlay it with pure gold and make a gold molding around it.25 Also make around it a rim a handbreadth[e] wide and put a gold molding on the rim.26 Make four gold rings for the table and fasten them to the four corners, where the four legs are.27 The rings are to be close to the rim to hold the poles used in carrying the table.28 Make the poles of acacia wood, overlay them with gold and carry the table with them.29 And make its plates and dishes of pure gold, as well as its pitchers and bowls for the pouring out of offerings.30 Put the bread of the Presence on this table to be before me at all times.

The Lampstand

31 “Make a lampstand of pure gold. Hammer out its base and shaft, and make its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms of one piece with them.32 Six branches are to extend from the sides of the lampstand—three on one side and three on the other.33 Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms are to be on one branch, three on the next branch, and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand.34 And on the lampstand there are to be four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms.35 One bud shall be under the first pair of branches extending from the lampstand, a second bud under the second pair, and a third bud under the third pair—six branches in all.36 The buds and branches shall all be of one piece with the lampstand, hammered out of pure gold.

37 “Then make its seven lamps and set them up on it so that they light the space in front of it.38 Its wick trimmers and trays are to be of pure gold.39 A talent[f] of pure gold is to be used for the lampstand and all these accessories.40 See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.

“I have loved you with an everlasting love;I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.4 I will build you up again,and you, Virgin Israel, will be rebuilt.Again you will take up your timbrelsand go out to dance with the joyful.5 Again you will plant vineyardson the hills of Samaria;the farmers will plant themand enjoy their fruit.6 There will be a day when watchmen cry outon the hills of Ephraim,‘Come, let us go up to Zion,to the Lord our God.’”

7 This is what the Lord says:

“Sing with joy for Jacob;shout for the foremost of the nations.Make your praises heard, and say,‘Lord, save your people,the remnant of Israel.’8 See, I will bring them from the land of the northand gather them from the ends of the earth.Among them will be the blind and the lame,expectant mothers and women in labor;a great throng will return.9 They will come with weeping;they will pray as I bring them back.I will lead them beside streams of wateron a level path where they will not stumble,because I am Israel’s father,and Ephraim is my firstborn son.

10 “Hear the word of the Lord, you nations;proclaim it in distant coastlands:‘He who scattered Israel will gather themand will watch over his flock like a shepherd.’11 For the Lord will deliver Jacoband redeem them from the hand of those stronger than they.12 They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion;they will rejoice in the bounty of the Lord—the grain, the new wine and the olive oil,the young of the flocks and herds.They will be like a well-watered garden,and they will sorrow no more.13 Then young women will dance and be glad,young men and old as well.I will turn their mourning into gladness;I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.14 I will satisfy the priests with abundance,and my people will be filled with my bounty,”declares the Lord.

15 This is what the Lord says:

“A voice is heard in Ramah,mourning and great weeping,Rachel weeping for her childrenand refusing to be comforted,because they are no more.”

16 This is what the Lord says:

“Restrain your voice from weepingand your eyes from tears,for your work will be rewarded,”declares the Lord.“They will return from the land of the enemy.17 So there is hope for your descendants,”declares the Lord.“Your children will return to their own land.

18 “I have surely heard Ephraim’s moaning:‘You disciplined me like an unruly calf,and I have been disciplined.Restore me, and I will return,because you are the Lord my God.19 After I strayed,I repented;after I came to understand,I beat my breast.I was ashamed and humiliatedbecause I bore the disgrace of my youth.’20 Is not Ephraim my dear son,the child in whom I delight?Though I often speak against him,I still remember him.Therefore my heart yearns for him;I have great compassion for him,”declares the Lord.

21 “Set up road signs;put up guideposts.Take note of the highway,the road that you take.Return, Virgin Israel,return to your towns.22 How long will you wander,unfaithful Daughter Israel?The Lord will create a new thing on earth—the woman will return to[b] the man.”

23 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “When I bring them back from captivity,[c] the people in the land of Judah and in its towns will once again use these words: ‘The Lord bless you, you prosperous city, you sacred mountain.’24 People will live together in Judah and all its towns—farmers and those who move about with their flocks.25 I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.”

26 At this I awoke and looked around. My sleep had been pleasant to me.

27 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will plant the kingdoms of Israel and Judah with the offspring of people and of animals.28 Just as I watched over them to uproot and tear down, and to overthrow, destroy and bring disaster, so I will watch over them to build and to plant,” declares the Lord.29 “In those days people will no longer say,

‘The parents have eaten sour grapes,and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’

30 Instead, everyone will die for their own sin; whoever eats sour grapes—their own teeth will be set on edge.

31 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord,“when I will make a new covenantwith the people of Israeland with the people of Judah.32 It will not be like the covenantI made with their ancestorswhen I took them by the handto lead them out of Egypt,because they broke my covenant,though I was a husband to[d] them,[e]”declares the Lord.33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israelafter that time,” declares the Lord.“I will put my law in their mindsand write it on their hearts.I will be their God,and they will be my people.34 No longer will they teach their neighbor,or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’because they will all know me,from the least of them to the greatest,”declares the Lord.“For I will forgive their wickednessand will remember their sins no more.”

35 This is what the Lord says,

he who appoints the sunto shine by day,who decrees the moon and starsto shine by night,who stirs up the seaso that its waves roar—the Lord Almighty is his name:36 “Only if these decrees vanish from my sight,”declares the Lord,“will Israel ever ceasebeing a nation before me.”

37 This is what the Lord says:

“Only if the heavens above can be measuredand the foundations of the earth below be searched outwill I reject all the descendants of Israelbecause of all they have done,”declares the Lord.

38 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when this city will be rebuilt for me from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate.39 The measuring line will stretch from there straight to the hill of Gareb and then turn to Goah.40 The whole valley where dead bodies and ashes are thrown, and all the terraces out to the Kidron Valley on the east as far as the corner of the Horse Gate, will be holy to the Lord. The city will never again be uprooted or demolished.”

Hebrews 8

Hebrews 8New International Version (NIV)

The High Priest of a New Covenant

8 Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,2 and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being.

3 Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer.4 If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already priests who offer the gifts prescribed by the law.5 They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”[a]6 But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises.

7 For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another.8 But God found fault with the people and said[b]:

“The days are coming, declares the Lord,when I will make a new covenantwith the people of Israeland with the people of Judah.9 It will not be like the covenantI made with their ancestorswhen I took them by the handto lead them out of Egypt,because they did not remain faithful to my covenant,and I turned away from them,declares the Lord.10 This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israelafter that time, declares the Lord.I will put my laws in their mindsand write them on their hearts.I will be their God,and they will be my people.11 No longer will they teach their neighbor,or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’because they will all know me,from the least of them to the greatest.12 For I will forgive their wickednessand will remember their sins no more.”[c]

13 By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.

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